Crosbula
by Mercer Mercer
Summary: Yep, you guessed it. Sidney Crosby becomes a vampire...and falls in love.
1. Chapter 1

(1)

Mom-

I need some time  
to get my head  
together. I'm  
turning my phone  
off. Everything is  
fine, please don't  
worry, I will call in  
a few days.  
-Sidney

Sidney Crosby didn't wait for a response before he turned his cell phone off. He flung his duffel bag in the back of his Range Rover and drove straight from his condo, in Pittsburgh, to the confines of his house on Grand Lake. The word heel crossed his mind many times knowing that he was going to be only a half an hour from his parent's house in Cole Harbor, but he couldn't bear to see them. Not yet anyways. Sidney's mother, Trina, was only trying to help. He knew that. But Sidney was tired of pretending, even with her.

The concussion, the headaches, the short temper during the disastrous Play-offs, it was all a lie. Every last bit of it. The temper was real, the uncharacteristic fights on the ice, the post game interviews of him coming unraveled, highlighted and dissected on NBC for the world to see. Yep, that was real. But the world was handed a pile of crap, and they bought it. Rumors circled from the locker room to the Internet. Post Concussion syndrome is what they called it. Lingering side effects from the nasty hits he took nearly a year and a half before. Sid the Kid was no longer the golden boy with the golden charm. He was the punk that started fights from a short fuse.

Crosby still appeared daily in the sports sections throughout Northern America, but the headlines were not as candid as they once were. Renown sports writers declared him done, damaged goods. He would never play at the same level of superiority that he went out at. And it was showing, leaking from his demeanor on and off the ice.

Dawn was approaching fast, and Sidney was trying like mad to beat the sun before it came up. Even though the windows to his SUV were specially equiped with industrial tint, his skin was exposed for too long during the day, causing his pale flesh to pinken. His driveway lay secluded before him beneath the vast umbrella of trees that towered above the pavement. Home, he thought.

The house stood just as he left it two summers before. Trina pleaded many times for Sidney to come home to recover, but he hadn't been ready to be that close to people. He pretended the headaches worsened, conjuring a therapy regimen that the doctors needed to do in Pittsburgh. The concussion was a great cover for a time, it made it easier for Sidney to avoid people altogether. Changing into a vampire felt a lot like being concussed. The world became that much brighter. Every sense became amplified a hundred times over. And the sun.

The Vampire world took knowledge of its newest representative, assigning Sidney with what they called a Promotor; a seasoned Vampire who assisted Sidney throughout his "transition." Sidney knew little about his Promotor, other than he called himself Carson, he knew how to get blood, and somehow, he made all the lies work.

And then the comeback. Sidney wasn't sure if he was ready, but Carson insisted he was. Sidney wore tinted contacts to dull the light, drank gallons of blood before games, but the moment a player got cut, his body tensed, trying to resist the need to attack. There was nothing else he could do but become symptomatic again.

The blood he kept on ice in the cooler traveled well. His stock was running low, but there was enough to last until more was sent. Sidney stocked the freezer with the remaining bags of blood, and stuck a stray in the microwave. Without a second thought, he poured the warm liquid into a glass, chugging the entire quantity in a single gulp.

"Fucking Vampire," he said, as he launched the glass across the room, shattering the tumbler on the wall. Remnants of crimson stained the beige carpet that lay beneath.

"Get it together Crosby," he said as he stammered his way to the bedroom. The blinds were already drawn, but the light shone through brighter than he wanted. After many curses created out of frustration and exhaustion, Sidney opened the door to his walk in closet. With a roll of his eyes, he threw his pillow and blanket onto the floor, shut the door behind himself, and crawled under the covers.

The sun was going down, and Dylan was wide awake...again. She spent the previous night walking the lake as she did the night before and so on. As soon as the moon was out and she was nestled under her comforter, the anxiety began to build like lightning in her chest. She, as usual, wasn't hungry, nor did she care to lay in a dark room with her own thoughts. The past year had been too much to bear, and she wasn't sure if hiding at the lake was best thing to do, but the idea of putting a smile on her face and pretending that she was OK, happy even, was just painful.

Dylan started on her normal path around the lake. The houses to the left of hers were the lower end rentals that were thankfully divided by the vast overgrowth from the treeline. The lot stayed vacant all these years because potential buyers were immediately turned off by "summer partiers" that invaded the peak season. Dylan's grandfather was wise, before he passed away, and bought the undesirable property that served as the now grateful fence between her solitude and the outside world.

It took Dylan almost two hours to make the journey to the other side of the lake where the high end houses began, and another hour to swing around to her side. She had nothing in the world but time, and her nightly hikes were the only way she could tire herself, allowing her body a few hours of sleep.

The last stop before her house was Dylan's favorite part of the journey. The long wooden dock, that stuck deep into the depth of the lake, welcomed her like an old friend. Dylan took her flip flops into her hands and slowly strolled down the wooden pier to the end, which stopped just before the moon's reflection on the water. Heaven, she thought.

It was after two a.m. and the world around her was peacefully silent. Only the sounds of the crickets and the occasional toad jumping in the lake broke the still of the night. Dylan's toe grazed the surface of the water, testing it as she did the night before. The sun had simmered off the water all day, leaving it the perfect temperature for night swimming. A wicked smile spread across her face. Dylan knew she should be wearing a bathing suit, but her end of the lake was so secluded. It was late, the sky was dark, and there were no other houses remotely close to hers except the one that sat empty behind the pier.

Dylan wasted no time. She took a quick look around and began pulling her shirt off over her head. Her shorts and underwear fell to her ankles in one swift movement exposing her pale skin to the moonlight. She kicked her clothes into a pile as she unhooked the bra from around her back, tossing it beside her. She didn't try to lie to herself. Standing naked on the edge of the pier felt so erotic. Dylan imagined the touch of a man from behind, caressing her breasts and kissing her neck. The familiar tingle ran through her body and out her mouth with an erotic gasp.

"Having sex on the dock would give you splinters in your ass," Dylan said cynically, as she walked to the edge of the wooden ledge and dove out into the water.

Only four hours had passed since Sidney emerged from his closet, but he felt like he already accomplished so much. He showered and shaved, thinking it was a crock that not only did he have to deal with all the inconveniences of being half a vampire, he also had to deal with the daily annoyances of being half human. Sidney wondered if his great-great grandmother knew what she was doing when she decided to let a vampire impregnate her. He had to think it would be easier if he had been bitten and turned like most of his kind, or better yet, sucked dry. Instead, he carried the gene that lay dormant in his bloodline for centuries that finally emerged on that fateful New Years Day a year and a half ago.

The Coven of Vampires were watching him for years, waiting to see if he would join them for their eternity. They called it a Canicular New Years. His changing body had sucked the icy winter out of the air as his once warm flesh died, causing the ice to melt on Heinz field. Many people, including his parents, blamed the soft ice for his "concussion," but only a select few knew the truth.

Sidney sighed as he tacked the last panel over the window in his bedroom, eliminating any light that would attempt to trickle through. He had no intentions of sleeping in his closet another day. The package, encased in dry ice, sent from his dealer,had weathered through the sun on his front porch. Introduced only as Claret by the Promoters, Sidney hoped that his whereabouts would be kept as vague to the Coven as his relationship with his blood distributor was.

There was nothing left to do but relax. Sidney cancelled his cleaning service, secured his Range Rover in the garage, and as long as he stuck to allowing only movement in the night, he should be able to successfully hide from the world. The only house remotely close to his was now vacant. It once belonged to Mrs McKinzie, Grandmother to his best friend growing up. Shane brought Sidney to the lake many times as a kid. It was a second home to him, the main reason he decided to buy his lake house and renovate it. The last time Sidney saw shane was the summer he was drafted, and Mrs. McKinzie passed away in the Spring. Sidney knew he should have attended her funeral, but his second comeback was in full swing and he had no intentions of socializing with the locals. Instead, he sent flowers and that was that.

Sidney stepped out the back door, breathing in the warm night air, allowing the solitude of the lake to encompas him. The still of the tranquil night only lasted for about a minute before he heard the frantic cries and sporadic splashing coming from the lake. In the distance he could make out a figure next to the pier, bobbing up and down for air. Sidney darted across the lawn onto the dock, reaching the middle easily in a few strides. His oversized hand was able to cup itself under an arm and pull the figure from the water.

"Turn around! Turn around!" she screamed as flashes of pink and flesh lay before him on the darkened wood. She brought her hands to cover her breasts as she pulled her knees in to protect the slit between her legs.

Sidney couldn't look away, she was laid out in front of him, naked. It was over a year and a half since he last touched a woman, let alone looked at one. Her legs were long and her body was tight. He ached to lay his lips on her nipple that hardened before his eyes in the night air. Just above the soft mound of her chest lay a throbbing beat below her skin. Sidney's pulse began to quicken and he could feel his fangs start to grow. Their eyes met in a rash of panic. .

"Sidney, turn around!" she screamed, matching her voice to her eyes.

"Dill?" Sidney said, cocking his head.

"Yes, it's me, now turn around," Dylan said as her one hand left her breast, pushing her onlooker around. She didn't hear him coming. She didn't even know he was there. And the next thing she knew, she was laying naked before Sidney Crosby. Mortified and unable to think, her mind raced to no prevail as to where she left her clothes.

"Give me your shirt," Dylan said as Sidney turned his head to protest. "Just give it to me!"

Sidney leaned back on his heels, gripping the back of his white cotton shirt that he pulled over his head. His mind raced in disbelief that the girl curled up behind him was Shane's baby sister that followed him around like a lackey. Her hair had always been cut short, in a boyish bob, and there was never an inch on her stick skinny legs that weren't covered with bruises. She was so much younger than him. Sidney raced through the timeline in his head. He was about to turn twenty-five, so that would make her twenty. Lustful things filled his mind, and then reality hit in. Slowly he reached his arm behind himself, offering Dylan his shirt.

Dylan grabbed the cover,slipping it over her moist skin, only to look down and cringe. The thin white cotton fabric did little to cover the darkened skin that bore from underneath.

"You have got to be kidding me," Dylan said, as she sprang to her feet and sprinted from the dock to the confines of her house.

Sidney sat on the edge of the pier, watching Dylan run as his shirt lifted slightly over her backside, ignoring any attempts her arms made to hold it down. As she disappeared into the house, Sidney looked down at himself, embarrassed by his own indiscretion that bulged from beneath his pants.

"God, what am I a thirteen year old boy?" Sidney said as he fell back onto the dock.

Sidney starred at Dylan's house, trying to fight any primal instinct he had to have his way with the girl he once knew. The sun was coming up soon and Sidney needed to erase the contents of the night from his mind forever. His body seemed ready to allow the suppression until he spotted Dylan's clothes at the end of the pier. Reluctantly, Sidney walked towards the pile of clothes that he knew would cause his senses to replay every last detail of the night all over again. He should have left Dylan's clothes on the pier, but his body moved on auto pilot, scooping the pile into his arms. Her scent traveled deep inside of him with every breath he took. The white cotton lace of her matching bra and panty set sat so delicately in the palm of his hands. "I shouldn't have come here."


	2. Chapter 2

87[...2

Dylan slammed her bedroom door as if it could lock out her mortification. For years she followed Sidney around, secretly wishing he would kiss her. And tonight, the icing on the cake of the most horrific year, Sidney Crosby pulled her bare ass out of the lake! He saw her, all of her. Dylan played it over in her mind, for what seemed like forever, just how long he was able to _see _her before she covered herself up.

But then again, he did stare, lingered was more like it. Even though Dylan was only twelve when Sidney left for the NHL, she had already had a crush on him for years. But, who was he to her anyways? Sidney had been out of her life for almost seven years. People change, she changed. Dylan grew up and her childhood crush faded over time.

Sleep overtook Dylan for the first time in months, not releasing it's grip until the sun went down again. Sidney's scent still radiated on his shirt that, through all the commotion, she forgot to take off. Remnants of the previous night tore through her, building the heat of embarrassment over her face once again. She would have to return his shirt, see him again. But could she? Dylan rose from her bed, ready to start her nightly routine of a shower and then a walk when the first rumble of thunder set in. A thunderstorm at the lake had at once been a cherished evening, but when the basic survival need entailed constant movement, being confined in the house gave way to another dark night.

The laundry lay unfolded in the dryer for days. Dylan shoveled her clothes into a basket, not even attempting to fold the already wrinkled mess. She turned the cycle to warm, emptied an entire load of whites into the washing machine, including Sidney's shirt, and headed for the shower. She bathed, ran the load through the dryer, attempted to eat, and began her next task of finally stowing her laundry into the empty drawers of her dresser. She held an unfamiliar shirt, trying to remember when she bought it. Dylan held the fitted shirt up to her chest thinking it may have been Lauren's, and then it hit her, it was Sidney's shirt, and she shrank it. The frantic stretching of the fabric did little to fix the situation other than stretch it out in an awkward way. Great, she thought.

The thunder became louder and the sky lit up with bright zig zag's of white light. Lemons to lemonade, Dylan thought as she filled a cooler full of ice and beer, dragging the load onto the screened in porch. If she couldn't walk around the lake, she was going to enjoy all of its wonder with alcohol and a light show. Dylan rested her legs on the opposing chair and popped the first lid off of her bottle.

Her third beer was almost gone when an unfamiliar knock appeared on the wooden screen. Without warning, the door pulled open and the sound of the same crackled voice broke the silence of Dylan's porch.

"Can I come in?" Sidney said, as he stood in the rain.

Dylan sprang forward from her lounged position, her face giving way to the shock of her visitor. "Yeah, sure," she said, greeting the man who surprised her two nights in a row.

Sidney slowly latched the screen door, keeping himself and the air about the room in check. He wiped his brow from the drizzle that spattered his forehead, just as the downpour began to fall. He lifted the bag that had hung from his arm as his face changed to an expression that should have shown a rosy glow. "You forgot your clothes last night."

The porch was dark, but Sidney could still see the color illuminating from Dylan's face. She covered the side of her head with her one hand, extending the next for the package that awaited. "Thanks," she said, with an awkward sigh. "I am so embarrassed."

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about," Sidney said with a whisper. Dylan knew she heard him correctly, but the flames still flared beneath her skin.

Dylan reached for her bag of clothes, brushing the fingers of Sidney's grip on the canvas straps. They seemed icy, probably from the rain. "You are soak and wet," she said, erasing any calm the night once recorded. "I have your shirt," Dylan said before the realization hit that she was the world's worst dry cleaner. "Oh. Shit," she mumbled with a panicked stare.

"I shrunk it!" Dylan said in a vast confessional. "I didn't mean to, I mean, who buys 100% cotton?"

Sidney's face broke with an awkward grin, followed by an enormous laughter, something he hadn't done in a long time.

"Why do you think this is so funny?" Dylan said.

"Because," Sidney said, "it's just a shirt."

"It was a nice shirt," Dylan said, slapping her arm to her side. "I'm sorry." Her head wondered the porch indecisively. "Do you want a beer?"

Sidney's laugh came to a halt. His existence rested on her words. A beer. Such a normal question. Could he have _a _beer? Would he be able to control himself? He was only half a vampire, so food was not so terrible to him. He knew he could drink it, but the effects? Dylan was still a woman, one that apparently he coveted, full of warm blood that would taste so quenching in his throat. Self preservation, the need to maintain his persona consumed him. Like she would catch on that he was a vampire because he turned down a beer. But...what 24 year old would say no to a beer? And it was the off season. "Maybe just one."

Dylan reached for the icy cold bottle and handed it to her visitor. Reaching for her own drink, Dylan took a swig, relying on the mixture to calm her nerves. They sat on the porch, as the sky bellowed out like hammers, neither knowing what to say. The rain lay in sheets across the horizon deafining their awkward silence. Sidney finished the smooth liquid as its contents were still able to warm his face. A nostalgic feeling ripped through his bones that a simple beer was still able to have the same effect on a wretched vampire.

"I'm sorry to hear about your Grandmother," Sidney said, finally breaking the ice. He paused for a moment, remembering how much of a Mother Tess had been to him.

"Thanks," Dylan said with a smile. "We received your flowers. They were pretty. She would have liked them."

Sidney took a long breath, thinking about how much of the past year he had passed up. "I should have come, to the funeral."

"No," Dylan said, finally looking into Sidney's eyes. "She never missed your games. She would have been mad if you missed one second on the ice because of her."

The guilt still rang true. Neither Shane nor Dylan had a Mother or Father growing up. Tess was the closest thing they had, and wherever the siblings went, Sid usually followed. Sid was closer to Tess than his own grandmother. "It was still pretty shitty of me. I should have seen her in the last year."

"She wouldn't have known you," Dylan said.

"But still..."

"Don't worry about it," Dylan said, looking into the night sky. "You had enough to worry about."

Another lie. Another person buying it, Sidney thought as Dylan handed him a second beer. A second beer. Hesitantly, Sidney twisted the top off the bottle and nursed his second round. "So, what have you been up to? Still hanging around Cole Harbor?"

Dylan laughed. "No, I got out," she said in a reluctant smile.

"I hope so," Sidney said, placing his beer on the side table. "Aren't you supposed to be a math wizard? I didn't give you all my stats to figure out for nothing," he said with a smile.

"Yeah, I took the college prep classes and graduated early. I got a full scholarship to Montreal. Do you remember Lauren DunLeavy?" Dylan said with a pause. "We both went there together."

"But that was only, what, three years ago," Sidney said, trying to calculate. "Did you graduate already? I mean, I know you are smart, but, that is quick, isn't it?" Sidney's eyes gazed as Dylan reached over her chair to grab another beer. Her legs ran long until their backside reached the ample curves that rounded her bottom. No more beer, he thought.

Dylan's sighed. She popped her fourth beer and thought, this is so surreal. "Um yeah, I was majoring in," but then she stopped.

"In?..." Sidney said, allowing himself one more drink from his bottle.

"I was majoring in Structural Engineering, with a minor in architecture," Dylan said, once again blushing. Boys typically didn't like hearing about her accomplishments, that's why she fared so well with Charlie. He was pre-med, smart as a whip, and able to compensate for her achievements.

"And..." Sidney said smiling.

"And," Dylan repeated hesitantly, "things were going well."

"Until.." Sidney said, without question.

"My grandmother got sick, so I took a took a sabbatical from school this Spring," Dylan said, catching her voice. "And then she died."

"So, you will be going back this Fall," Sidney said, taking another sip from his beer. The liquid was like a toxin that fulfilled his skin.

"I don't know," Dylan said slowly, wishing her unintentional interrogation would end.

"Don't be another Cole Harbour drop out because of this," Sidney said, leaving his seat.

"I'm not a drop out!" Dylan said, leaving her internal sensor behind. The beer was doing it's best to make sure of that. She stood to meet his gaze. "I just, I can't go back there."

"Why not?" Sidney said, taking a step back.

"Because, because I can't." Tears swelled in Dylan's eyes, as much as she fought to produce them. She wiped the dew from her eyes and tucked her long chestnut locks behind her ears. "I'm sorry, she said with a sarcastic laugh, "I haven't seen you in years. First I'm flashing you and now I'm blubbering like an idiot about things that don't matter anymore."

"No really, it's fine," Sidney said, leaning against the screen post. And he didn't mind, not at all. Being around Dylan felt like he hadn't left a day of his life in Cole Harbor. She felt like the same kid he used to help onto the ice or pretend would catch him when they played tag. She was like a younger sister to him, only... Dylan wasn't a kid anymore. Granted she was young, probably younger than he should be interested in, but she was smart and extremely beautiful, sexy even. The way her tiny shorts cut along her...Sid's face began to harden. A year and a half ago, sure. He would have been all over her. Sidney would have made her laugh with his boyish charm and probably have been to bed with her already. But now, no. There was no chance. His only hope for companionship was with another vampire, but they were so cold and conceited.

Sidney looked into Dylan's eyes that shone green when the sky lit up. They were still glistening from the moisture, and it took every ounce of control left in his body not to grab her and kiss her. "Tell me what happened."

Dylan sat back on her chair with her elbow resting on her knee and her chin in her hand. She kept things to herself for so long, bottled up. Her mouth started moving and Sidney became her confessional.

"Lauren and I went to Quebec, and that's where I met Charlie and Kate. Charlie was Pre-Med, and Kate was in Lauren's Nursing school. We all got along, and this past year, we rented an apartment together. Charlie and I had been together for three years. We lived together in one room while Lauren and Kate shared another. When my grandmother started to get sick, I would leave on the weekends to take care of her. But the time before she died, I came home to find out Kate was pregnant...to Charlie. So I left."

"And so, you are hiding out here?" Sidney said, realizing the irony.

"Exactly," Dylan said, as she took another drink. "My grandmother signed the lake house over in my name when she first got sick. She left me some money too."

"Well, that's one way to deal with it?"Sidney said, not having any room to judge. "And you've been out here all alone, by yourself, with no one to talk to? Does anyone even know you are here?" he said, desperately needing someone on the planet to know where she was. Accountability for his own actions, Sidney thought.

"Pretty much," Dylan said forcing a smile. "You make it sound like I'm out here contemplating suicide or something..." her face became serious, "I'm not. I just needed some time to figure things out. And yes, Lauren knows I'm here. What about you? It seems to me that you are doing the same thing."

"What makes you think that?" Sidney said, kicking the lone stone at his feet.

"Sidney Crosby at his lake house," Dylan said, raising her eyebrow. "Don't they usually hold a parade in your honor every time you come home?" She said jokingly. "Seriously, every time I go to the grocery store or pretty much anywhere in this town, someone asks me if I had seen you at the lake. And somehow, someone always seems to know when you are here or when you are planning on coming. Nobody said a word last week. You are hiding out too."

"Maybe," he said smiling back. "That's actually what I came over here to talk to you about, besides bring you your clothes." Another devilish grin swept across Sidney's face thinking about how the moon had danced on her flesh the night before, leaving every part of Dylan exposed. Her legs seemed long enough to wrap themselves around his engorged thighs. He liked it when women held on as he dove himself deeper into their..."

"Sidney?" Dylan said, watching his face change with a multitude of expressions. "You needed to ask me something?"

"Huh? Oh..yeah, sorry," Sidney said, wiping the carnal thought from his eyes. "Yeah, about that hiding out thing. My parents don't exactly know I'm here. In fact, if I did things right, you are the only person who knows I'm here. I needed some time too. "

Dylan knew what he meant. His injury was dissected and torn apart over the last year and a half. She could tell by the interviews that it hardened him, something she understood well. "I get it, you want me to pretend I never saw you here."

"Especially to my parents," Sidney said more seriously. "My mom," Sidney paused. He always hated referring to his mother around Dylan and Shane. Mom's can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but he was sure that was a pain they would liked to have had. "Trina, she just wouldn't understand why I needed some time, that's all."

"Ok," Dylan said with a warm smile, "I can do that. I won't say anything, for a small price.

Sidney eyebrow dipped, Dylan, an extortionist? He laughed. "OK, how much will it cost me?"

"I will keep your secret if you continue to let me have unlimited access to your pier," Dylan said. "I promise, I will wear a bathing suit next time."

"It's a deal," Sidney laughed, "but I never said anything about bathing suits." Dylan's face burned hot once again. "If I had a dollar for every time I made you blush."

"You'd have enough ones to tip me for the free show I gave you," Dylan said, desperately trying to downplay her mortification. "I wasn't drowning."

"It looked like you were," Sidney said.

"No, I was just panicked. I was wearing my grandmother's wedding ring and I felt it slip off of my finger. It must have looked that way because I was frantically trying to find it," Dylan said defeated. "I guess it's gone forever. At least it's in the lake. She loved it here. This place is all she talked about when she was dying, and how she loved to bring Shane and I here."

"How is Shane?" Sidney said, leaving his post behind for his chair again.

"I was kind of hoping you would know," Dylan said shrugging her shoulders. "He left when you did and I haven't seen him since. I used to get letters every once in a while and then they started to become more and more sparse. The last one I got was over a year ago and it was mailed from Vancouver. I was hoping maybe he still talked to you, or maybe even went to see you play."

"No, I haven't heard from him in years," Sidney said. "I tried to keep in touch, but he didn't seem to stay in once place for very long. My mom was meaning to ask Tess for his number a few different times, but I guess it never worked out. "

Dylan reached for two more beers as Sidney drank the rest of his bottle. "No, that's OK," Sidney said, fighting the urge to take another bottle. It was a cruel joke. He had the ability to enjoy the finer things in life that he once had, but on the other hand, he had little control over himself while he was doing them. "I really need to leave. I have a ton of things that still need done at the house."

"OK," Dylan said, standing from her chair at the same time as Sidney. There bodies became so close. Sidney could smell every ounce of her perfect skin. He felt the warmth from her body radiating towards him. "It was so good to see you again Sidney," Dylan said, as she put her arms around him, lingering longer than he thought he could bear. His body seemed tight, rigid. Sidney slowly forced his arms around Dylan's tiny frame, and for the first time in a long time, he let his body feel something.


	3. Chapter 3

87[...3

The rain continued through the day and into the second straight night, not exactly the homecoming Sidney expected. The stress of the upcoming season topped with the struggle to accept his new identity was what the lake needed to cure. Sidney planned on spending many nights exploring the woods and their many hiking trails, followed by what he hoped would be countless hours of night fishing. Things that used to relax him. The lake was a full proof plan, it would work, it had to. Sidney would get his head wrapped around this "thing" if it was the last thing he did. But the rain, or the stuff that more likely resembled sheets of water definitely put a crimp in his plans.

Sidney woke just as the sun began to set, his favorite time of the night. The sun gave off the least amount of light, allowing him to walk almost normally within the world. Being a vampire wasn't like in the movies, Sidney wasn't going to burn up on contact with daylight...or sparkle. Being a vampire was way less glamorous than that. Sidney burnt as easily as a ginger, actually a little worse. But the real reason he tried to stay away from the light was simply because it was just so damn bright. When he changed, Sidney's eyes became that much more sensitive to the detail around them. He could see things in a way he never had before. The detail of a blade of grass to the eyes of a bird flying overhead. The World became so clear. But, walking outside on even the most cloudy of days was like having a spotlight a foot from his face. Without proper eye protection, Sidney was blind.

There was no sun today, and there certainly wasn't going to be any hiking. Spending the night covered in saturated clothes and wet shoes irritated Sidney. He would have been up for the challenge in a heart beat as a kid. Wet shoes didn't bother him, nothing did. Life was an adventure. But the "new" Sid had little tolerance for practically anything, and the rain was definitely testing it. Trying to make the best of the situation, Sidney started his night with a make-shift work out followed by dinner consisting of a quart of blood and then a quick shower. Sidney wiped condensation from the mirror, ready to prepare himself for his daily interaction with the world. He brushed his teeth and mouth washed, masking the copper smell. Sidney stared at himself in the mirror, longing to be normal, wishing he could speak to people without going to the extremes. Sidney sighed, grabbing the steel file he kept stored in a box in his medicine cabinet. Many times he tried to remove the things he referred to as can openers for the neck. Sidney filed them and pulled them out, covering the nubs with temporary caps, but the fangs always grew back by the next day. The more blood he drank, the faster they grew. A smile swept across his face, realizing the daily annoyances that had become almost routine were now moot. There was no one around to hide from. Sidney smiled at his reflection for the first time in a long time exposing his fangs.

Acknowledging he a vampire was a something Sidney never let cross his mind, because if he did, then it would be real. Except for the teeth, Sidney didn't think he looked like a vampire. He was pale, but he was from Canada for Christ sakes. Everyone from the great white north was pale. Sidney didn't feel like a vampire, he still felt like the same guy, only, what he did feel was more intense. Things that used to make him mad, now made him irate. An annoyance was more like an intense irritability. A simple attraction to a woman quickly became like reliving puberty all over again. Sidney had always been private with the outside world, but loved being around the people closest to him. Tormented by his lack of control, Sidney quickly shut people out, causing the rumor mill to spin. He was no longer the fun loving laid back kid he was once known as. Doctors speculated the "hit" he took forever changed his personality. Sidney was an angry punk, exiling his family, friends, teamates...and women.

Women. Sidney missed them. They used to love him, throw themselves at him like he was some kind of a rock star. Sidney wasn't Saint enough to turn them _all _down, but he was never public about it and he never led them on to think it was more than it was, just sex. Sure, he had girlfriends, but they never seemed to work out. Sidney knew they were there for the status, but he enjoyed their companionship. He liked having a warm body to come home to after a long road trip. Sidney saw what some of his teammates had like Marc-Andre and Pascal, and wanted the same thing. Before the change, Sid started to wonder if that was something he was ever going to find. Most people couldn't see the real Sid, they only saw what was on his exterior, the fame, his good looks,...the money. They acted differently around him, not like... Dylan. She had been so free with him, like a day hadn't gone by since the last time he saw her, except for the fact that she had grown up, filled out, into a beautiful "Stop it," Sid snarled to himself, knowing he would never be able to have a relationship with a woman again.

Deflated, Sidney threw the towel that hung from his waist over the hook on the wall and headed for his bedroom. He pulled his fitted boxers out of the top drawer, slid them on one leg at a time, just like everyone else he thought, and fell back on the light grey comforter that drapped the oversized mattress in the center of the room. The shelves that lined the wall between the covered windows, that had at one time gave way to the sprawling lake, barreled down at him from above. Still resting on their side lay the pile of scrap books Trina compiled Sidney's first year in Pittsburgh. The albums were meant for his bedroom at the Lemieux house. Unable to find enough room in his carry on, Sidney planned to bring them back to Pittsburgh with him each trip home, something that seemed to always get pushed back. Instead, the albums were left unopened on the corner of his shelf.

Sidney pulled himself from his bed, grabbing the top album, not sure if he was ready for a trip down memory lane. He opened the leather bound book, not needing to turn the page any further. There she was standing amidst a group of boys, staring straight up at Sid. She was always standing beside him, following him around, gangly and awkward. But, Dylan wasn't awkward anymore, she was... Sidney slammed the album shut, grabbing his I-Pad from the bed side table. Swiping his finger, Sidney turned on the I-Pad, ignoring the 23 messages his G-mail app alerted him to. Most likely every last message from his mother. Sidney tapped on the f, bringing up his wall, mostly updated by his sister Taylor. She created Sidney's profile as a way for him to stay in touch with her while she was away at school. The account displayed the highest level of security and only photos Sidney felt confident his grandmother could look at.

Search- Everyone -Dylan McKinzie

There she was, the first profile that popped up, Dylan's profile. She was standing in the sun at the beach. Sunglasses covered her eyes, her toned shoulders skimmed the bottom of the picture. Dylan looked beautiful. Sidney clicked on the picture, pulling it up into full view. The top half of Dylan's body appeared and he could feel himself grow looking at Dylan in a bikini. Her sun kissed skin brought back flashes of Dylan's body that laid before him on the pier only two nights before. Reluctantly, and trying his hardest to maintain, Sidney scrolled to the next picture that shone Dylan and what must have been her ex-boyfriend. A stream of jealousy followed by a simple hatred toward the guy enveloped him. Moving on to the next picture, Sidney stopped at Dylan standing among a group of people in the stands, cheering on the Canadians. Each fan was wearing an appropriate Canadians sweater. Dylan, on the other hand, proudly stood, pointing to the C on her Penguins jersey. Below the caption read: Just another trip to see my favorite hockey player! Let's Go Pens! Dylan was in the stands, watching him. The picture caused a flutter of excitement within him. He liked it, in fact he loved it. Before he knew it, Sidney sent a Facebook request.

Time was inching by for a second straight night. Dylan was stuck, confined to her porch, watching the excitement of the water display that fell around her. The rain brought humidity to the air and she was grateful for an occasional breeze that sprayed the cool rain through the screen. Dylan's eyes kept wondering to the darkened house that seemed quiet beside her. She wished deep down that Sidney would make another trip to her porch, but had little hope because of the downpour. Still, she thought, maybe he would brave an umbrella. Who was she kidding, Dylan thought, she hadn't seen Sidney in almost seven years. But she still found herself lighting the candles around her, as a signal to let Sidney know she was awake.

The rhythmic sound of the rain was broken by the high pitched chime that rang from Dylan's phone. It was three a.m., and the only person who had bothered to check on her was Lauren, and she already texted her daily check in. Dylan grabbed her phone, sliding the front. Sidney wants to be your friend. That's all she saw. Immediately Dylan clicked on the request, trying to make out the picture on the profile. It was a simple 87 that filled the picture box, nothing more. She clicked on the profile, only to be denied by the security settings. The profile had to be him, Dylan thought, as she accepted the request. You are now friends with Sidney. Interesting.

The Facebook page was vague at best. The few pictures on the profile were simply of Sidney on the ice. Anyone could have downloaded the photos. There wasn't any personal information given, and if he had any friends, that was kept a secret too. His wall was empty. What was the point to this, Dylan thought. Was it really him? It didn't take long until Dylan had her answer. The icon at the top of her phone indicated she had a message.

**Sidney-**

What are you doing?

A slight flutter filled Dylan. She was hoping all night to see Sidney again, but never in a million years did she think she would be talking to him on Facebook.

**Dylan-**

Sidney? Is that really you?

**Sidney-**

Who else did you think it would be?

Smiling, Dylan quickly began typing, thankful for auto correct.

**Dylan-**

Oh, you know, just some other hockey player I know who wears #87

Btw, you have a Facebook? :0

Sidney smiled, letting his fangs appear more prominent than ever before. He used to hate smily face icon's that girls used in their texts trying to be cute. But for some reason, he didn't mind Dylan's.

**Sidney-**

Taylor's idea on the Facebook.

Don't judge!

There was a long pause in between the next message. Sidney stared at the glowing screen, constantly refreshing the page, waiting...still nothing. "This is crazy. Why I'm am I getting excited about this. We could never," and then she was there again.

**Dylan-**

Another secret ;D

I will cash in payment for my silence later.

**Sidney-**

But I only have one dock!

Any other payment ideas?

The second Sidney pressed send, he wished he could take it back. Would Dylan get the wrong idea? Which was in fact the idea he had in mind. Up to this point, Sidney was able to maintain a safe distance from the world, and keep a relative amount of control around people...avoid them if you will. How was it possible that Dylan came back into his life three days ago, and already he spent the last three days longing to be near her. Sidney felt like he was in High School all over again. He was Facebooking her for christ sakes.

Dylan wasn't sure what to think of Sidney's last message. Was he hitting on her? Flirting with her? She blushed just thinking about it. Her fingernails became targeted, bit to the nub, as she searched for any type of response. "Well, here goes."

**Dylan-**

Why Mr. Crosby, did you really think a dock was going to be enough of a payment for this piece of juicy knowledge.

A feeling of warmth grew from Dylan's body and out the tips of her ears. There was no question in her mind that her childhood crush never really went away. Dylan couldn't imagine Sidney ever feeling that way about her. When they were younger, he was always this way with her, friendly, comfortable, but definitely not flirty. Dylan didn't know if she was reading into things more than they really were. Sidney must be bored, lonely even. Dylan couldn't be more than just a familiar face.

**Sidney-**

extortionist!

**Dylan-**

I'm an Evil mastermind. Try again.

**Sidney-**

I will autograph your Penguins jersey.

**Dylan-**

How do you know I have a Penguins jersey?

**Sidney-**

I looked at your pictures.

"Oh God!" Dylan said out loud. What was he doing trolling through her Facebook? She tore through all the pictures she posted, the Math awards, pictures with Charlie, but most horrifying were the awkward teenage years that she was tagged in by highschool friends. Her stomach dropped a little. Dylan's fingernails fell victim once again.

**Dylan-**

Bored a little?

And how do you know it's your jersey? It could be someone else's ;)

**Sidney-**

You were pointing at the "C"

**Dylan-**

Oh...

**Sidney-**

Were you at one of my games?

**Dylan-**

Yeah, I've been to a few.

**Sidney-**

I wish I would have known...

... "What does that mean?" Dylan said, staring at the screen.

**Dylan-**

Maybe I will cash in on some good seats the next time.

My nose is still bleeding from my last seats. lol

"Enough!" Sidney said, throwing his I-Pad on his bed. He ran his hand through his hair, pacing around the bedroom. "And now I'm thinking of what her blood would be like if she had a nose bleed!" Sidney starred in the direction of Dylan's house knowing he couldn't do this to her. She deserved better than him, better than a fucking vampire. A vampire! Even if he tried to tell her, explain,she would think he was crazy. "You have to end this now before it goes to far," Sidney said as the I-pad alerted him to another message. How could he ignore it. Sidney's hand was on the screen before the rest of him could resist.

**Dylan-**

The rain stopped! Do you want to go for a walk?

**Sidney-**

Meet you at the dock in fifteen


	4. Chapter 4

87[...4

The bottom drawer to the dresser nearly came out as Sidney pulled it open to grab the first set of shorts he could find. The khaki cargo pants and grey Penguins tee-shirt was not what Sid had in mind to impress Dylan, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

The microwave counted down at a glacial pace. Sidney cut the corner of the lukewarm bag, forgoing any type of glass. The crimson cocktail seeped from the corners of his mouth, dripping onto his shirt below.

"DAMN IT!" Sidney exclaimed, tearing his shirt off in a heated frenzy.

Bypassing his drawer for a second round, Sidney darted into the bathroom, stubbing his toe on the edge of the door frame.

"What the fuck!" Sidney shouted, limping towards the sink.

Sidney felt the rage boil inside of him, wanting nothing more than to pull the medicine cabinet off the wall.

"God," he said, slamming his fists down onto the counter. Sidney's hands clenched the edge of the granite top causing the veins in his arms to swell. He closed his eyes, thinking nothing about anything except the pond he used to skate on as a kid. It was the place he would go to when he felt like he was going to explode. Sidney's grip didn't ease until the picture in his mind also included Dylan, skating beside him. Her face smiling, always smiling, except this time she wasn't a child, she was grown. He opened his eyes, staring at himself in the mirror. "OK," he said.

Taking a deep breath, Sidney grabbed his tooth-brush and began scrubbing. The spearmint flavor always seemed off after drinking blood. Sidney pulled his top lip back, filed down the points of his fangs, covering them with their temporary caps. He smiled into the mirror inspecting his grin, then ran his hand through his hair attempting to arrange each strand into place. Sidney wished he would have gotten a fresh haircut before he left, but he didn't expect having to see anyone. He placed his hand over his mouth, breathing into it, making one last check. He wasn't sure if Dylan would be able to smell the copper under his breath, but he wasn't taking any chances. He filled the inside of his cheeks with mouth wash and began searching for a different shirt. The clothes hanging in his closet did little to help. They were perfect for the night life, but not a walk around the lake. There was his collection of Polo shirts, but not really the impression Sidney was wanting to give. Instead, he settled on a light blue tee-shirt that complimented his khaki shorts. Not wanting Dylan to be waiting at the pier for him, Sidney dashed out of the house, spitting the mouth wash in the kitchen sink.

Dylan began blowing the candles out on her porch when her phone chimed for the second time that night. Hoping Sidney wasn't backing out on her invitation, Dylan turned on her phone, tapping on the message.

**Charlie-**

Hey

Dylan's stomach turned as she stood frozen in place. The evanescent screen lit up the porch, shaking in her hand. She could hear her heart pounding through her chest, spreading the familiar feeling of numbness throughout her body. She didn't remember sitting down as the second message came through.

**Charlie-**

How are you?

Dylan gave no response nor could she look away. She avoided any form of contact with the outside world, except Lauren, because of this very reason.

**Charlie-**

I thought we should talk before the wedding

The wedding. The weekend Dylan had dreaded for the past few months. Lauren gave Dylan an out a long time ago, knowing her wedding might be too much. Best friends dating best friends. It seemed like a fairy-tale three years ago. Dylan felt an instant attraction to Charlie the night Lauren and Tim set them up on a blind date. She fooled herself into thinking that Charlie and Tim would graduate medical school, propose, and they would live happily ever after. But instead, Dylan was going to endure the nuptials, standing beside Lauren as her Maid of Honor, while Charlie stood beside Tim as his best man.

**Charlie-**

I miss you

The ground was full of mud and Sidney wasn't sure how much of a walk Dylan had in mind. He checked his watch thinking he took too long getting ready. He walked to the waterline through the gravel shore and began skipping stones over the water. When Sidney started making a game of it, he realized Dylan hadn't come out of her house. Except for the kitchen light, the house looked dark. But there was a glow shinning from the same porch he stood on the night before.

He didn't bother knocking. Dylan broke her stare as Sidney opened the door.

"Are you OK?" Sidney said, seeing the pain in Dylan's eyes.

"Yeah," Dylan said, not missing a beat. "Would you do me a favor and take my phone. I can't deal with it now. Not without doing something stupid."

Dylan handed the device over and started walking. Confused, Sidney snuck a look at the screen, knowing exactly what was going on. Fighting the urge of typing his own message, Sidney turned off the phone and slipped it into his pocket.

"Were you waiting?" Dylan said, not knowing how long she sat on the porch.

"Not long," Sidney lied. "I walked around a bit, it's pretty muddy."

"Oh, I didn't think about that," Dylan said. "We could walk in your direction along the water. There's a bunch of stones to walk on."

"Ok," Sidney said smiling. He didn't want their night to end. "So, you do this every night? Walk the lake? It's over twenty miles around, isn't it?"

Dylan laughed, "I'm not that gung-ho. I cut across the bridge where the lake narrows. I think it's just under five miles."

"Still, that's pretty far, especially at night." Sidney said, not liking the idea of Dylan walking by herself in the dark.

"It's fine, I carry my phone, although there were a few times I wished I could have called someone to pick me up," Dylan said laughing, trying to forget earlier. "Let's just say I now check the weather faithfully."

"And you do this every night, alone," Sidney stated, still not liking the idea.

"Um, it's better than a bottle of wine by yourself." Dylan confessed. In the beginning, there had been many hard nights followed by even harder ones. After the funeral, Dylan spent her days cleaning out her grandmother's house and her nights with many bottles of wine. After the last box left the house, Dylan turned the keys over to the realtor and left for the lake. The anxiety was still there, but the lake provided a new outlet.

"I'll walk with you, if you don't mind," Sidney said, feeling a strong desire to make sure Dylan was safe, but more importantly, he wanted to be near her. But, Sidney couldn't help but wonder how safe Dylan would be around him.

"Yeah, Ok," Dylan said nervously. "It will be a nice having someone to talk to for once."

Sidney smiled at Dylan as his hand brushed against hers, neither daring enough to latch on. They talked of their childhood memories, most ending with Shane tormenting Dylan, like any older brother would, followed by Sidney lagging behind to help Dylan. They walked the length of the stones, backtracking to the pier that served as the ritualistic ending to Dylan's nights.

"Are you going to jump in?" Sidney said reaching the end of the deck.

Dylan laughed. "You go ahead if you want to, but I think the water is a little cold after our monsoon, but, we can put our feet in the water," Dylan said, hoping Sidney wasn't ready to call it a night.

"You're really a night owl," Sidney said, taking a seat next to Dylan on the hard wood. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Dylan said giving Sidney an awkward look.

"What do you have on your forearm?" Sidney asked, trying to get a better look at the shiny white writing in the dark.

"You saw that?" Dylan said, covering her left arm with her hand.

"I saw it the other night. I've tried to figure out what it was," Sidney said, pulling Dylan's hand from the writing. He allowed his grasp to linger, taking Dylan's hand into his. Dylan's hand became lost in Sidney's and her face flushed. Sidney let her hand go, grabbing her arm, running his thumb over the writing. "What does it say?"

Electricity shot out of Sidney's cold skin and into Dylan's body. She melted into his touch, letting herself breath into it. They were so close, he was so close. His jaw line cut through the moon light just inches from her face. Dylan wanted Sidney to kiss her, she wanted to feel his lips on hers, his hands on her body. Sidney looked up from the writing into the green eyes that pleaded with him to touch her. "It's a tattoo," Dylan whispered.

"What does it say?" Sidney said letting go of Dylan's arm. He was close, too close, and Sidney saw it in Dylan's eyes. He knew what she wanted. He wanted it too, more than anything. He wanted to take her head in his hands and pull her lips to his. He wanted to erase the hurt that sat in the back of Dylan's eyes. He could make love to her on the dock, right then and there, without a second thought, filling himself inside of her. Dylan would feel so warm, something Sidney longed for so long.

"It, it doesn't say anything," she whispered, "it's...nothing."

"Are they numbers?" Sidney asked, forcing himself to back away.

"Um, yeah, they, they're math equations. It's stupid," Dylan said turning her head to hide her flush.

"Why do you always do that?" Sidney asked. "Why are you ashamed that you are smart?"

"I'm not, it's just sometimes people are wierded out about it," Dylan said, finally meeting Sidney's eyes again.

"I think it's all in your head," Sidney said.

"They called me Freaky Deaky and the Lowest Common Dill-Nominator all through school. It freaked people out, especially guys," Dylan mumbled.

"If you are so embarrassed about it, then why did you get the tattoo?" Sidney said raising his eyebrow.

Dylan stopped, remembering the night she got the tattoo. "I didn't like who I was turning into."

"So you tattooed math problems onto your arm?" Sidney asked, cocking his head.

"No, I mean, yes." Dylan sighed, knowing Sidney wasn't going to let this go. "After you and my brother left, I was pretty lonely. I didn't have any other friends. Lauren moved next door earlier that year, and for some reason she liked me. She was a year and a half older than me, but we became very close. Lauren was pretty and popular and outgoing everyone loved her. I didn't have a mother to teach me about things like hair and make-up...and boys, so she did. It's not like Lauren told me to play stupid, she just kind of suggested I become more low-key about it. So I stopped solving problems in my head and answering them so quickly. I acted like the equations were getting harder. I still got A's on my tests, but I wasn't the first person to turn them in anymore. And it worked."

"Still, you shouldn't have to hide..." Sidney said, interrupted mid sentence.

"It made it easier for me," Dylan said, giving Sidney her best smile. "When I went to Quebec I started fresh. Nobody knew except Lauren."

"If you were hiding it, then how do you explain the numbers on your arm?" Sidney asked, knowing there was still more. They had been apart for years, but Sidney was still able to tell when Dylan was hiding things.

"I was still at school when the Dr gave us the bad news. My grandmother only had 6-9 months to live, twelve if we were lucky. The same day, I got a letter in the mail from the last address I had for Shane. The letter was from a woman named Beth. She told me Shane used to stay there, but Beth hadn't heard from him in over a year. She sounded worried and asked if I would contact her if I heard from him," Dylan said, looking up at Sid. "I kind of had a break-down after that. I realized after my grandmother died, I could possibly be the last person left in my family. I was going to be all alone. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. We were studying for our finals, and a bunch of Charlie's friends from med-school were there. They were working on calculus and Charlie kept getting the answers wrong. I never said anything before, but that day, I snapped. Charlie laughed, thinking there was no way I knew the answers." Dylan smirked. "You should have seen the look on his face when I grabbed his book and started naming the answers to each problem. And then I walked out. I was tired of pretending."

Tired of pretending, those words cut through Sidney's chest like a sharp knife. He knew exactly what Dylan felt, only he wasn't brave enough to face it like she was. But was it any different? He was a vampire, she was smart, there was a big difference. Dylan liked math, he liked blood. Maybe she would understand, maybe Sidney could tell her, maybe not. "So, what are the answers? To the problems."

"2, they all equal 2," Dylan said. "Actually, each of them are just complex ways of writing 1 + 1 = 2."

"That's it?" Sidney said, even more curious. "Why? I mean, why did you choose that?"

"I don't know," Dylan said taking a second to think. "At the time, everything was just so crazy. I remember walking down the road thinking no matter what happens, one plus one will always equal two. No matter what happens."

"That is definitely the coolest tattoo I've ever seen, you shouldn't hide it," Sidney said taking her arm into his hands again. He wanted to close his eyes and feel her skin, but he knew he couldn't.

"Do you have any?" Dylan said lowering her arm from Sidney's grasp. As much as she now craved his touch, it also scared Dylan. Could she let go with another person? Was Sidney even interested? He was an old friend. Sidney could be acting this way to be nice.

"Any what," Sidney asked, trying to bring himself back to reality.

"Tattoo's," Dylan said, already knowing the answer.

"Oh, no, I'm not allowed to," Sidney said, seeing the confused look on Dylan's face. "It's written in my endorsement contracts. They want the look of an all-American guy."

Dylan's face broke and she fell over laughing.

"What's so funny?" Sidney said trying his best to stay serious.

"Did they meet you before you signed the contract?" Dylan said, sitting back up.

"Why Dylan, I can't imagine what you mean," Sidney said cracking a smile.

"Um, how about all the times your dad had to smooth things over with the neighbors, convincing them not to call the cops after one of your wild parties," Dylan said, poking Sid in the side.

"Those were usually Shane's ideas," Sidney said flashing his most angelic grin.

"Yeah, you were totally innocent," Dylan said. "Or how about the girls the two of you snuck in through my window the one night while my grandmother was asleep. Speaking of that window, I remember getting my head stepped on a few times while you guys snuck back in."

"OK, OK, I get it," Sidney said, splashing water onto Dylan only to have the frigid water hit him in return. Sidney removed the cell phones from his pocket, placing them on the edge of the dock.

"What are you doing?" Dylan said, thinking she started a war she wasn't going to win.

Sidney didn't speak, he simply stood, towering over Dylan, raising his eyebrows. Dylan set back on her arms, realizing what Sidney was about to do.

"I will give you a five second head start," Sidney said with his grin now turning devilish.

"You wouldn't," Dylan said looking up at Sid, standing in the moonlight.

Sidney only got to four in his countdown before Dylan took off sprinting down the dock. She didn't have a chance in the world and she knew it. Sidney caught her before she even hit land. He threw Dylan over his shoulder, slowly walking towards the end of the pier. Dylan screamed, beating on Sidney's back. She tried to hold on, but he picked her off of his shoulder, tossing Dylan into the depth of the lake.

The water felt like ice after only a few short days of raining. Dylan's eyes were wide with shock as she made her way to the surface, coming up with a gasp for air followed by a scream. Sidney stood on the pier laughing, delighted with himself.

"Asshole!" Dylan shouted, pretending she was angry, secretly longing to be held by him again. Well that did it, she thought as Sidney took a few steps back, launching himself into the lake doing his best cannon ball. There was no sign of Sidney in the water, he didn't come up for air. Dylan started looking around frantically yelling his name, still nothing. Dylan treaded water as silently as possible, trying to find Sidney in the black water. A large hand came from below, grabbing Dylan's inner thigh, pulling her under the water. They both surfaced the still water at the same time, under the setting moonlight, closer than they had been before. Dylan's hands rested on Sid's shoulders, allowing his powerful stride to hold her up. Their legs entangled under the water brushing between each other. Sidney wanted Dylan like he never wanted anyone before. Her eyes were large, scared at what was about to happen, not knowing if she was ready to let someone in again. He could hear her heart pounding in the silence of the night that was slowly interrupted by a distant buzzing noise. Dylan's gaze broke as she turned, holding onto Sidney's shoulder, trying to spot the interruption in the distance. Dawn was coming and the sanctuary of the night was about to be invaded by the pollution of early morning fisherman.

"Uh," Sidney said watching the boat speed towards them. "Do you mind if we call it a night?"

"Yeah, maybe we better," Dylan said, letting go of Sidney as she began swimming towards shore. He stayed in the water, watching Dylan climb onto the dock. The water made Dylan's clothes cling to her, accentuating every last curve on her body. Her fitted white tank top became even tighter, exposing the tips of her chest. His chest grew heavy, breathing in his need for her.

"Good night Sidney," Dylan said, walking backwards down the pier.

"Where are you going?" Sidney asked, climbing out of the lake. The muscles in his body flexed, exposing each solid line from beneath his wet shirt. Dylan gasped.

"To get a warm shower," Dylan said shivering in the last bit of night that was left in the sky.

"What about your phone?" Sidney said, picking them up off the dock.

"Keep it," Dylan smiled, starting to skip away. "Until tomorrow, that way you will have to come find me again."


	5. Chapter 5

87[...5

The knocking started out in the background, crescendoing to an all out pounding. Dylan felt dazed, reaching for the clock that set on her bedside table. 4:07...a.m.? she thought? Dylan crawled out of bed stammering through the hall towards the front door. She peered out the peep hole, blinded by her eyes unable to adjust to the searing sunlight. Dylan hadn't seen the the sun without it setting in weeks.

"Open the door," a familiar voice yelled from the other side of the barrier.

"Lauren?" Dylan said, her voice still crackling from the unwanted wake-up call.

"Yes it's me, now let me in!" Lauren demanded, shoving her way through the door the second the lock unclicked.

Lauren dropped her purse, staring at Dylan in disbelief. Answering the door in only a tank-top and her underwear, Lauren looked Dylan over like she was a newly discovered train wreck.

"No wonder you had to have your dress refitted, you are nothing but skin and bones!" Lauren said, pulling Dylan into the living room. "What have you been doing to yourself up here this whole time?"

"Nothing, just walking," Dylan yawned as she collapsed back onto the couch.

"Are you eating while you are doing all that walking?" Lauren snapped, heading for the kitchen to inspect the bare cabinets. "I should have come sooner. Why haven't you answered your phone all day?" Lauren said, returning to the living room, scooping the laundry off of the kitchen table and back into a basket.

"Those were clean, you just put clean clothes into a dirty basket," Dylan said pulling herself from the couch.

"Where are you going?" Lauren prodded, blocking Dylan from entering the hall.

"To the bathroom, and then back to bed," Dylan said, squeezing past Lauren.

"Oh no you don't, you can go to the bathroom, but then you are going to get into the shower and I am getting you out of this house." Ignoring Dylan's attempt to shut her out of the bathroom, Lauren side-stepped Dylan, turning on the shower. "When you are done, get in."

Dylan rolled her eyes, but she knew better than to try to argue with Lauren. She stepped into the shower, letting the scalding hot water wash over her body like she did earlier that morning after her swim in the lake. The shower helped open her eyes and let the memories of the night before wash over her. Dylan smiled. She could still feel Sid's thigh graze past hers in the water, not to mention the palm of his hand cupping hers. They had been so..."

"Why haven't you answered any of my calls? I've tried to reach you for hours, panicking," Lauren said, pulling the curtain back to hand Dylan her tooth brush."Tim told me Charlie tried to talk to you last night. Asshole. I can't believe I have to keep him in the wedding."

The phone! Shit, Dylan thought. How was she supposed to get it back now that Lauren was here. Dylan couldn't tell her the truth, not now at least. She promised Sidney she would keep his secret. Not only that, Dylan wasn't ready to share Sidney with the world again.

"Are you OK?" Lauren said, staring at the strange look on Dylan's face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Dylan said, shutting the curtain. "Sorry about the phone, I turned it off after I got the messages from Charlie. I'm not really sure what I did with it after that."

Lie.

"Well get dressed, I'm getting you out of here for the night and we are going out," Lauren insisted. "Then, tomorrow, we are going to pick up your dress. Hopefully you won't have to get it taken in again. And put this on when you're done. No more shorts!"

Dylan stepped out of the shower and held the tiny sundress in front of her. "Fine," she said.

The local night life was sparse, other than Jack McKrackins, the seedy bar at the other end of the lake that all the college kids frequented. A place where Lauren insisted Dylan should be. Lauren wasted no time ordering a bottle of wine and just about every fattening plate of seafood McKrackin's had to offer, a feeble attempt to put some meat back on Dylan's bones. Dylan knew Lauren had planned on arriving in Cole Harbour that day to start preparing for the wedding, but never expected to see her at the lake. Even though the last few nights had been spent with Sidney, Dylan was glad to have Lauren around again.

The first half of dinner was spent listening to Lauren trash talk Charlie, telling Dylan how she kicked Katie out of the wedding party and banned her from coming anywhere near the church or the reception. Dylan insisted it was fine and she didn't have to do that, but years of friendship said what Dylan didn't have to say. She was relieved. There was only Charlie to deal with and Tim trumped that argument.

Their first bottle of wine lasted through dinner followed by a round of shots bought at the bar by a group of college guys vacationing from Halifax. Dylan pounded the first shot, succumbing to Lauren's insistent need to loosen Dylan up. The overly friendly patrons ordered a second round, only to have Dylan turn down their offer. Lauren tossed hers back, pulling Dylan into the lady's room at the same time.

"What are you doing?" Lauren said, locking the door behind them. "Those guys are into you! If I wasn't about to get married, I would be all over them!"

"Nothing, I'm not trying to do anything," Dylan said, checking herself in the mirror. You would think after so many years of Lauren dressing Dylan in scanty outfits that Dylan would be used to her cleavage showing by now.

"So what, is this your plan? Hide out at the lake by yourself forever, pining over Charlie?" Lauren said, partially letting the alcohol speak for her. "I should go ahead and buy you a cat."

"I'm not hiding out, I'm just taking some time. I hate cats, I'm not pining for Charlie, and I'm just not interested in another frat boy. I've already done that!" Dylan yelled back.

"Still, it's not healthy for you to be up here all alone. You're going to self destruct," Lauren said almost in tears. "I care about you Dylan, and I hate to see you like this."

"I know Lauren, but really, I'm fine. And I'm not alone," Dylan said catching herself after she said it. Let the interrogation begin.

"What do you mean you're not alone?" Lauren said wide-eyed.

"It's not a big deal, really. I ran into someone I used to know from when I was a kid and we've hung out a few times, that's all." Dylan took a deep breath. Three, two, one...

"Awwwww!" Lauren squealed, wrapping her arms around Dylan. "What's his name? You should call him up and invite him!"

"First off, I don't have his number, and even if I did, I can't call him, remember? No phone. Secondly," Dylan said leaning on the counter," I don't think this is something he would be into doing."

"Oh great," Lauren mumbled, "another hermit for a hermit."

"Look," Dylan said, "we are just friends and it's kind of new. OK."

Lauren shook her head. She loved to push, but she knew when to draw the line when it came to Dylan.

"I'm really glad you are here, but I need you to understand that I am doing OK. Just because I am not interested in going home with a bar guy doesn't mean I am on the verge of a break down either. I want to have fun tonight, but I don't want to have to feel like you are constantly setting me up. I just want to hang out with you, Ok?" Dylan said, giving Lauren a big hug. "Now let's go out there and have our own little bachelorette party, just the two of us."

"OK," Lauren said, hugging Dylan back. "Let's rock this place."

The cab pulled into the driveway letting the girls off. Slightly unstable on her own feet, Dylan pulled Lauren from the cab, still singing Tiny Dancer from her last karaoke song. Dylan managed to hold Lauren up while finding the right key for the door. Lauren bypassed the couch, the spare bedroom, and the bathroom, landing smack dab in the center of Dylan's bed.

"I love you Dylan," Lauren said as she passed out on top of the covers.

"I love you too," Dylan replied, covering Lauren with a spare blanket.

Dylan walked to the kitchen, pouring herself a giant glass of water. She could see the lights on in the rear of Sidney's house and wondered if he was home. She still needed her phone, right? Slightly unsteady on her feet, Dylan balanced her way through the back door and out the screened in porch, crossing the back yards in less than a straight line. She knocked on the back door but nobody was home. Slightly pouting, Dylan began walking towards the lake, hoping she would find Sidney near the water. A light shone through the detached part of the house and Dylan began to smile.

The door was unlocked. Dylan quietly turned the knob letting herself in. The make-shift man cave, filled with a pool table and a giant flat screen gave way to a separate part that exiled sounds of metal clinking together. She peeked her head through the door to find Sidney standing shirtless, sweat beading off of his body, lifting a barbel over his head at a rapid pace. Dylan's jaw almost dropped at the sheer girth of his body. It wasn't until she saw Sidney without a shirt on that she really noticed just how strong he was. The hard lines of his body sent thrills through her loins, each pump of the barbel making her hotter and hotter.

Sidney hit the end of his last rep, throwing the barbel in the air in front of him. He turned to grab his towel, surprised to find Dylan in his doorway.

"Hi," was all Dylan could stammer out.

"Hey," Sidney said.

"I'm sorry," Dylan said, slightly slurring. "The door was unlocked. I tried knocking. No, actually that's a lie. I knocked at your house, I guess I just walked in here. Holy shit, isn't that heavy?"

Dylan stepped from behind the door, steadying herself against the wall. Sidney scanned Dylan from head to toe, eyeing her up in her dress. Thank god for sundresses he thought.

"Where've you been tonight," Sidney said whistling.

"Oh, Lauren showed up and we went to the bar," Dylan said blushing.

"And where is Lauren now?" Sidney said hoping not far behind Dylan.

"Oh, don't worry, she's passed out, spread out all over my bed," Dylan said a little annoyed. "I didn't tell her anything, about you being here, don't worry. I just came over to get my phone. I swear!" Dylan's eyes became huge trying to convince Sid of her allegiance.

"Don't worry about it, I believe you," Sidney said walking towards Dylan.

The closer Sidney got, the more Dylan was overwhelmed by his presence. "Your muscles are beautiful," Dylan slurred, trying to stand up on her own.

"Thanks," Sidney said, stopping with his body as close to Dylan's as it could be. He looked into her eyes and she felt like she was going to melt.

"We had our own bachelorette part..," Dylan whispered as Sid brought his face closer to hers. Sidney's mouth was no further than an inch from Dylan's, sending the breath from his lungs into hers. Dylan's eyes focused on his swollen lips, barely able to keep them open under his trance. He lingered close for what seemed like an eternity before his body leaned further past Dylan, picking her cell phone off the weight bench.

"I need to go home," Dylan said stumbling into Sidney's chest.

"Yeah you do," Sidney said not wanting to let go. Dylan's body pressed against his as her lips brushed his chest. Sidney's sweat clung to her, imprinting Dylan with his scent, a scent that she breathed deep inside of her.

"Come on, I'll take you home." Sidney whispered, forcing himself from her grasp. Dylan's hands slid down his chest as she found her balance again.

"OK." Dylan could feel Sid's presence behind her as she walked out of the weight room. She slowed her pace, trying to keep her balance, but mostly hoping to feel his body brush up against hers. The night air couldn't have come quicker as Dylan's head began to spin, intoxicated by the alcohol and Sidney.

Dylan's dress swayed up the back of her legs as she tried to find her balance in the uneven yard. Sidney wrapped his arm around her back, pulling her into his side. She focused on the ground, attempting to hide the heat within her eyes. Sidney looked down at her from above, not even attempting to look away from Dylan's breasts that were billowing out of her dress. The house couldn't have come any sooner. Sidney didn't know how much more he could endure. Dylan's feet failed her once again causing Sidney to scoop her into his arms, desperately needing to end their night. Even if he could do all the things he wanted to with her, Sidney didn't want Dylan like this. He wanted her to remember every way he touched her body. Dylan's arms slid from around Sidney's neck as he placed her on the couch in the living room.

"I'm sorry I'm so drunk tonight," Dylan said, letting sleep overcome her.

Sidney grabbed a glass from the kitchen, filling it with ice and water. He returned to Dylan's side, setting the glass and her phone beside her on the end table. He bent over, placing his lips on hers, savoring the taste for as long as he could bear.

"Good night Dylan," Sidney whispered, stealing one more kiss.

Sidney locked the door behind him, and headed for a much-needed shower. He let the nozzle rest on C, making sure the water kept at the lowest temperature. This is a mistake, he thought as he stepped inside the shower doors.


	6. Chapter 6

87[...6

The water was freezing, running down Sidney's back, as he leaned into the relentless spray of the shower head. His hand clutched the stone tile, desperately needing the last half hour of his life to disappear. The impression from the stolen kiss still lingered throughout Sidney's body and the temperature of the water was doing little to soften his throbbing shaft. Dylan would never know he kissed her, it wasn't too late to leave, to end this. Sidney saw the need in Dylan's eyes, the longing, the desperation to be touched. Hell, it simmered in his. But Sidney couldn't touch her. He would only hurt Dylan, in more ways than one. Sidney knew what he needed to do, leave the lake, cut ties forever. He thought about this every morning before he fell asleep, imagining his world, just like it was only a few days before, without Dylan. But he was weak. Sidney couldn't do it. He allowed himself to be around her, to touch her, to look at her in ways that could only land him in the place he was in, a freezing shower all alone.

Did it have to be this way? Could he covet her from afar? Keep his distance knowing she slept helpless from his hands only a few yards away? Could he satisfy himself and that be enough? Sidney closed his eyes and could picture nothing else but Dylan, standing in the doorway to his gym, desperate and hungry. His hand reached for the faucet, slowly turning the temperature until it filled the immense shower with heat and steam...and lust. He gripped is cock with constricting force, pulling himself in a wicked way. Sidney held himself tighter, the way he knew Dylan would feel between her legs. His breathing became labored. Flashes of their first night on the pier surfaced, reflecting images of water, beading off of Dylan's tight skin. Her breasts swollen and her nipples hard, still green to his touch. Her long brown hair, wet from the lake, served as a pathway for each drop of water to cascade over the tips of her nipples, begging to be licked dry. The soft folds of her lips were open as she laid on the pier, inviting him in. He could see Dylan, her whole body trembling in the night under his dark gaze. Her breathing heavy, her heart racing, just as it would if she laid beneath him. Dylan tried to hide herself. Her knees closed, but Sidney could still see the bottoms of her lips, sealed shut, pointing towards a space that he could fill. His breath caught. It was torturous, being close enough to touch, to taste, to smell. But he was a monster and monsters weren't allowed to feel anything except for the loneliness of their own body, their own hands. His pace quickened and he thrust his hips towards his rigid hand, faster and faster until a helpless roar came from within.

The next thing he knew, Sidney was standing over Dylan, watching her chest rise and fall beneath her dress that fell from her shoulder. The blanket he covered her with only an hour or so before laid on the floor beneath the couch. The dress, _the dress _that started this all, had inched its way up in Dylan's sleep, exposing the thin cotton panties that allowed her bare lips to shine through. He couldn't help himself, they were there for the taking. Sidney brought his finger over the elastic band, sliding his palm between her thighs, cupping her sex. She was so warm in his hands. Dylan's legs parted naturally, allowing Sidney's intrusion to creep even lower. The pain in his eyes rang true, screaming the desperation he felt to slide Dylan's panties down and climb on top of her. He needed to feel something for once and he wanted it to be her.

But she slept, and he knew this was wrong. He was wrong. Everything about him was wrong. Everything about the way he was touching Dylan was wrong. Sidney needed to leave her. It was the only way he was going to be able to control himself. Sidney slid his hand from between her thighs, pushing Dylan's legs back together. He brushed the hair from her face and bent down to give Dylan his farewell kiss. Sidney's lips grazed hers, making time stand still in the night. His body shook, trying to justify the innocence of his need but at the same time fighting the dark desires he wanted. The lips he connected to slowly began to move, opening for Sidney's tongue to penetrate, allowing his kiss to deepen. Sidney pulled away, thinking Dylan was awake, wanting what he needed to give to her. But her eyes remained closed, Sidney's kiss and his touch, locked away in his conscience forever. Sidney reached in, stealing one more kiss before he would be gone forever.

"Stay with me," Dylan whispered, still drugged by her night of drink. "I don't want to be alone anymore."

Sidney froze, thinking his invasion had been exposed. But Dylan's eyes were closed, her body still, his hands on her cheeks.

"Dylan," Sidney said, quieter than a whisper, "I need to leave."

She said nothing until he tried to slide his hands from her face and then she reached out and grabbed him, pulling Sidney towards her body. Sidney slid onto the couch, barely fitting next to Dylan's body. He wrapped her into his arms as she buried her face into his neck. The warm sweet air from her mouth toyed with his ear, sending pulses through his crotch. Sidney pushed himself tighter into Dylan's thighs until she spread her leg around him. He wanted her to wake and allow him to sink himself inside of her, but the more she lost herself into him, the further from conscious she became.

"I love you, I always have," Dylan purged as her dreams slipped into reality. "Don't break my heart too, you would hurt the most."

"I won't," Sidney said, kissing Dylan's forehead.


	7. Chapter 7

87[...7

The road sign read Grand Lake, thirty kilometers, and Dylan couldn't be happier. She was nothing more than exhausted, physically and mentally. The last twenty-four hours with Lauren had been more than Dylan signed up for. Lauren was full of energy, fueled by the fanfare of the wedding that was only a few days away. There hadn't been any time to recover from the night before that seemed to disappear after Dylan's shot of tequila. She remembered the cab ride home, but the rest was nothing more than bits and pieces connected by fuzz, which leaked from her subconscious throughout the day.

The final fitting went well (thankfully), and the girls approved the florist's trial run of the bouquets. Last minute odds and ends were taken care of, followed by a test color mani-pedi. Dylan was never keen on strangers touching her feet but was grateful for the much-needed downtime.

A late lunch at the Cole Harbour Country Club wasn't exactly part of Dylan's ideal plan. She had basically been MIA from the rest of the world for the last couple of months. After only a few of minutes, Dylan agreed with herself that her coming out party was better there than at the wedding. There wasn't an elephant in the room. The women at the Club had no problem discussing Dylan's life since her grandmother passed away, oh, and what she needed to do to get over Charlie. The bottom line, her face would be sore the next day from the forced smiles. If she wasn't still a shade darker than a white sheet, a bottle of wine would have come in handy at that moment.

The diminishing sun disappeared behind the closing garage door, shutting the world out behind it. Dylan stepped out of her compact Hyundai Accent, tripping through the stuffy garage, still cluttered by the outside patio furniture. The chairs on the screened in porch served enough of a purpose; Dylan not wanting a neighbor to take pity if she dined alone outside, stealing away her solitude. The door to the kitchen should have given way to a cool breeze through the archway, only there wasn't a breeze and there was nothing cool about it. Instead, the air lay heavy and stale, perfumed with the smell of rotting trash.

"Not again," Dylan muttered, hoping Lauren had possibly turned the air conditioning down or off before they left that morning. The thermometer not only read on, but it recorded a balmy 92 degrees inside the house. It was too late to call a repairman...again, but also too hot inside the house and out. Dylan cherished the summer heat that cooked her lake throughout the day, leaving it the perfect temperature at night, but this was ridiculous and she needed to sleep. The windows throughout the house protested as Dylan opened each one, providing little relief. She towed the offending garbage to the cans outside and made her way to the over congested garage once again. There was a small window air conditioner that sat beneath a pile of boxes. Dylan prayed it still worked. By the amount of dust and dirt that now covered Dylan's dress, she guessed the boxes and the unit had sat in the corner for years. The odds of a desperately needed cool nights sleep were diminishing by the second.

Dylan's bedroom window was the furthest from the garage, naturally, she thought, as she struggled to carry the load around the house. She was tempted to install the unit in her grandmother's window, which was closest to the garage, but hadn't allowed herself to take over the master bedroom yet. The wooden shutters, that blocked the elements throughout the offseason, remained closed to Dylan's bedroom, uninviting the world into her life. The latch to separate the two slats of wood had rusted throughout the years and Dylan could hardly uncoupled the two. The ending to a hellish day washed over Dylan, surging through her fists as she beat on the shutters. Defeated, the tears began to well, clouding her vision towards the angry wasps that intended to justify her intrusion.

Sidney couldn't sleep, he hadn't even tried to go to bed. Instead, he sat for hours in his great room, staring at the wall, trapped by the line between shadow and daylight. How could he let this happen? She loved him, Dylan loved him. But did she or was that an alcohol fueled sleep confession? And he laid with her, held her...touched her. Would she remember it? Did she feel him touch her, violate her?

An enormous weight lifted off Sidney's chest when he heard Dylan's car pull into the driveway. She came back, that had to account for something. But just as quickly as the pressure released, the weight returned knowing he would have to face her. Sidney would be able to tell by the look on Dylan's face just how intoxicated she had been. Sidney began his normal routine of preparing to mingle with the outside world, followed by his sunlight arsenal. The sun had already begun it's decent, but burning skin was the last thing Sidney wanted to deal with throughout the night. He wore jeans and the thickest darkest tee-shirt he could find. He lathered sunscreen meant for a small child over every inch of his exposed skin and then pulled a ball cap down over his eyes.

Sidney could see Dylan in the distance; carrying something heavy, struggling, oh, and in a dress again. She was going to be the death of him, he thought. Sidney wanted to yell out for Dylan to wait, that he would help her, but he needed a moment to compose himself. The sun was so bright and he didn't want to seem too eager if Dylan did in fact remember. Sidney was midway across the yards when the frantic screams began. He could see the tiny wasps diving at Dylan's body, her hands flailing desperately at them.

The nest seemed to disappear instantly at the site of the predator approaching them. Sidney waved off the offense with one arm, grabbing Dylan's swollen hand with the other. Tears already saturated Dylan's face.

"Are you OK," Sidney said, turning her arm, inspecting the damage.

"Yes, I'm fine," Dylan said, showing her worst poker face. "No, actually, I'm not fine, I'm not OK. Nothing about this is OK. My grandmother is dead, my brother might be, and I've lost most of my friends because my boyfriend cheated on me! I'm trying my best to be there for my best friend who is about to get married, but in actuality, I can't bear to think about it. I have to walk down the aisle with Charlie while listening to everyone telling me how I am supposed to deal with all of this. I vomited twice today and wore dress, all to make Lauren happy. I am tired and exhausted and all I want to do is sleep, but I can't, because my air conditioning is broken...again! And now I'm covered in dirt and I was just attacked by a million wasps! And I feel like if one more person asks me if I am OK, I'm going to lose it!"

And then she broke.

Tears were overshadowed by sobs and Dylan covered her face with her swollen hands. Before Sidney knew it, Dylan's cries were muffled by his chest and his arms wrapped around her. He held her into him as tight as he could, running his hand through the back of her hair. He hated to see Dylan hurt, but nothing in the world felt more right than her in his arms.

Before she realized what was going on, Sidney carried Dylan into his house, placing her onto his counter. Her eyes were puffy and her face was wet.

"I feel like a child," Dylan said with glassy eyes, trying to compose herself. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, it looked like you took a beating out there," Sidney said, inspecting the stings. "Let me get some ice."

The freezer was within arms reach. Without thinking, Sidney opened the door, exposing the bags of blood he stored on top of the ice. Panick nearly breached the surface of his exterior as he grabbed a handful of the frozen cubes. I've got to better humanize this place, he thought. Distracting Dylan from his exposure, Sidney ran his hand behind her exposed knee, lifting Dylan's leg to retrieve a t-towel from the drawer below her.

"It looks like they got you in your leg as well," Sidney said, wrapping Dylan's hand around the ice. "Where else did you get stung?"

"On my hand and my leg," Dylan sniffed. "I am so sorry, your shirt is wet."

"Dylan, it's fine, it's just a shirt," he said, lifting her head to his. "It looks like one of them got you over your eye too."

Dylan watched Sidney continued his inspection, running his hand along her thigh. Her leg burnt from the venom, despite the goosebumps that formed under Sidney's cold touch. The welts ran high and so did his hand. Sidney felt Dylan's blood quicken, catching himself.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be so intrusive," Sidney said, realizing he had pulled Dylan's dress up, exposing what he already had seen...touched.

"No, it's fine," Dylan said meeting his gaze. "Your hands are so cold, they feel good. It still burns a little."

"Must be from the ice," Sidney muttered quickly. "Uh, I think I have some Benadryl cream, I will be right back."

Dylan sat on top the granite counter, surrounded by the rich dark wood. Se realized this was the first time she had ever been inside Sidney's house. It was breathtaking. The house was so open, but she had to wonder why each window was masked by a dark shade.

"What is he hiding from?" Dylan whispered to herself.

Sidney returned to the kitchen, carrying a tiny tube of cream. "I found some. It's a little old, but I think it's still OK."

"Thank you," Dylan said slightly embarrassed. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because I know you," Sidney hesitated, "and I think you would do the same for me, without wanting anything in return."

"I would," Dylan said, smiling for the first time, "but I have to think so would many other people."

"You'd be surprised," Sidney said rubbing his jaw. "I don't want this to sound off, but, people usually do jump at the chance to help me out, but it always seems like at a price."

"A price?" Dylan asked.

"Yeah, like an autograph or seats or something like that," Sidney said.

"Oh, but I asked you for your dock!" Dylan said, mortified with herself.

"Come on Dill," he laughed, "I know you were joking. That's the thing, anyone else would have dimmed me out a long time ago, jumping at the chance to tell people where I was. You're different. It's like I'm just Sidney from Cole Harbour to you. You never treat me any different."

"Well you are," Dylan blushed.

"Why haven't you ever asked me why I am here, hiding out?" Sidney questioned, leaning against the counter.

"I don't know," Dylan said shrugging her shoulders. "I guess I just assumed that if you wanted me to know, you would tell me, and...and I know what's it's like to have something shitty happen to you. I know what it's like to want to be left alone."

"Yeah," Sidney mumbled, knowing he needed to face that about himself.

Sidney couldn't help looking Dylan over. Her tears stained through the dirt on her face. She was a mess. Sidney couldn't help himself, bringing his body closer to hers. Dylan's eyes grew large as Sidney's thumbs wiped away the moisture and mascara from her cheeks.

"You're a mess," Sidney said, twisting Dylan's dress between his fingers. He slid his hand once again over the swollen bumps on her leg, trying not to grip her thigh, pull her into him. Dylan's breath quickened and he knew it. Sidney closed his eyes, pulling Dylan's head to his. Their foreheads touched, their mouths only a breath away from one another. Sidney allowed himself to lean in towards her just enough. Every part of his body burned as his hand slid a little higher.

Dylan breathed, feeling his hips brush between her knees. Sidney didn't move, he stood, holding on to her like he was tempting himself, it made her nub throb beneath her panties. She opened her eyes to meet his, fear illuminating behind them. She was scared, afraid to let another person in. But at the same time, he trembled before her too. Sidney looked as broken as she did. "I think I need a shower," she whispered.

His grip held her for a moment longer, Sidney desperately needing to hang on to something real. He was so close to Dylan, closer than he had been to anyone in his life for so long. As much as he tried to pretend he could go without needing someone, it became apparent at that very moment that it was a lie he told to himself that was unraveling before his eyes.

"Yeah," he said, stepping back from Dylan's touch, pretending the last moments never happened. "I laid a towel and some clothes in my bathroom. You can shower over here," he said clearing his throat. "At least you will be cool."

"Oh, OK, thanks," Dylan said, taking Sidney's hand as he helped her off the counter. His touch sent shivers through her body as he tried to entangle their hands before letting go. "It's the last door down the hall, my room."

"OK," Dylan said as he held her stare. "OK."

The bedroom door barely made a sound as Dylan shut it behind her. The room was immaculate, draped in shades of grey and white, black furniture, and more sealed off windows. To a normal person, it would seem creepy, but to a man whose life was always on display, perhaps this was needed, Dylan thought. The bathroom light was on and the clothes and towel promised were laid out neatly on the corner of the counter. Dylan couldn't help but blush as she held the oversized Penguins shirt up to her body.

The stone shower that stood beside the whirlpool tub engulfed the entire bathroom. A far cry from her outdated cast iron tub that barely fit into the box she called a bathroom. The various knobs to the array of shower heads overwhelmed her. Picking one, Dylan let the water warm as she turned to face herself in the mirror for the first time. Horror shot through her mind. Her hair disheveled, drapping her face from tears and sweat. Her eyes red and swollen and the sting upon her brow wasn't helping things much. Not to mention the dirt. She unzipped her dress, letting it fall around her ankles, staring at her body as the shower began to steam the glass. She unhooked her bra and slipped her panties off, noticing the stain of sex that filled them. She remembered the breath he took that did that too her and the feeling of ecstasy washed over her once again. He was all she ever wanted for so long, and now that the moment had come, Dylan retreated to the only thing she had become to know, solitude. Her reflection began to disappear as her cue that the water was ready.

The water washed over Dylan, doing little to erase what just happened, and she didn't try to forget it. Sidney's shower was the worst place to try. The only shampoo and soap afforded to her bathed Dylan in his scent. She closed her eyes and imagined he was still standing before her. The heat from the water ran down her crevices, mimicking his hands. Her legs widened and her fingers found passage to a place still beating with her pulse. She leaned against the hard cold stone that held her up as if it was Sidney's chest, just like it did the night before. Dylan pressed herself a little harder. The circles of her clutch became faster, lessening the grip she had on her breath. Dylan tilted her head back as the release filled her body.

"I don't want to be alone anymore," she said as her eyes opened.

_I love you, I always have._

_Don't break my heart too, you would hurt the most._

_"_Oh God!" Dylan said as the night before came crashing down around her.


	8. Chapter 8

87[...8

Mortification, it was as simple as that. Surely Sidney had to know about Dylan's long-standing crush as a child, but to show her hand as stupidly enough after a night of indulgence was...reckless at best. He was number 87. A man longed after by any sane woman. To them, Sidney was a beautiful man who had the means to give any girl her fairy-tale. What would he ever want with a math geek from Cole Harbour? But there she was, sitting on his bed, wrapped in his towel, in his house.

Exasperated, Dylan fell back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling above her. She had seen pictures of Sidney, arm and arm with models, running in circles she couldn't even imagine indulging in. The NHL opened his life up to endless possibilities involving fame and women. Why would he want her? But his body, his face...his mouth had been so close to hers. And she choked. Then again, so did he.

The idea was crazy, too crazy. Dylan must have gotten her signals crossed. Sidney was nothing more than an old friend. The dull ache in her head that plagued her throughout the day joined by the burning welts caused her exhaustion to catapult. Her thoughts spun without direction and finally, without warning, without conscious awareness, Dylan slept.

The sound of water running from the shower remained longer than Sidney expected. He was relieved. Sidney had to work fast removing the evidence of his alter ego. He pulled a red cooler from the utility closet, dumping the entire tray of ice into it. He buried the bags of blood below the ice and shoved it back into the closet, covering it with any item available. Relief washed over him until he realized exactly how empty his cabinets and refrigerator were. He took note, running excuses through his mind to justify it. In the mean time, he would have to borrow some food from Dylan's house.

The shower had been silent for some time when Sidney finally decided to knock on his bedroom door. After several moments, he decided to open his door, wanting to make sure Dylan was OK. She laid, curled in a ball in only her towel at the foot of Sidney's bed. At that moment, he knew that it would only be a matter of time;he would have her, making Dylan his.

Sidney opened his closet door, pulling the heavier cotton blanket from the shelf that he kept for the colder winter nights. He drapped Dylan in warmth, flicked the upper light off, and shut his bedroom door, leaving it open just a crack. Thankful for something to do, anything to keep his mind off of the girl in his bed, Sidney walked between the yards in the newly dimmed sky, retrieving the air conditioning unit with ease. With one arm holding the load, Sidney uncoupled the shudders and lifted the window as high as he could. He set the unit onto the frame and closed the window, steadying it in place. The arbitrary nest sat hidden behind the wooden frame. Sidney took it into his hands and crushed the paper-thin nest with his fist, all occupants included. He took the long way around the house towards the garage, chucking the remnants deep into the woods. The little bastards would never bother Dylan again.

The house looked the same as it did when he was a child. The furniture, the wall coverings, Dylan's room; it all looked so familiar, felt like home. He plugged the AC into the wall and turned it on. Cool air blasted from the unit like the first day it came out of the box. Pleased with himself for fixing at least one of Dylan's problems, Sidney closed her bedroom door, letting the room cool off. Dylan would be able to sleep comfortably in her own bed and not at his...

Sidney froze, playing out the outcome in his head. Each way he looked at it, Dylan would end up hurt, or worse. He kept telling himself it was wrong and that it just wouldn't work out. Despite his internal conflict, Sidney removed the front cover of the air conditioning, snapping a couple of the wires from within.

Dylan woke, letting the scent of Sidney's sheets engulf her. She felt groggy, but rested. How long had she been asleep for? Fumbling for the bedside lamp, the towel she had wrapped around her fell to her waist. She was naked, on his bed, in his room. But where was he? She allowed herself to sit, exposed, on the bed as she took inventory of the room. He had obviously been in the room. The bed remained made, but there was a random blanket that she slept beneath. Dylan was certain it wasn't there before. The light had been turned off. Yes, Sidney most definitely covered her during her sleep. A slight flicker ran through her body secretly wanting him to have looked at her. She imagined herself spread over top of his bed, barely covered by the thick white towel, and his eyes becoming dark. The apex between her thighs became moist once more. Dylan stood, leaving her shroud behind and walked over to the pile of clothes on the sink. She decided that if Sidney would see her body in that way, she wouldn't hesitate this time. Without his welcomed intrusion, Dylan pulled Sidney's shirt over her head. It smelled like him. But her heart stopped when she held out the garment intended to be her pants. They were a pair of Sidney's black fitted jockey shorts. A new feeling of nerve attacked the button that throbbed between her legs. Why would he give her his underwear to wear if he didn't feel the same way. Dylan slid the shorts on, letting Sidney's clothing encase her. His scent was everywhere, radiating from her hair to her body. It was heavenly.

The rest of the house was dimly lit, but the lights above the open island bar shone on a the counter. Dylan found a plate furnished with her leftovers from the horrible day at the country club. She had been ready earlier to dump the take out container in the trash, souring from the experience, but her stomach growled. The lobster bisque made her mouth water. The microwave counted down the seconds, and as she waited, Dylan noticed a note folded with her name on it.

Dill, Sleep as long as you like...it looked like you needed it. Make yourself at home. I'm at the dock, Sid.

Dylan couldn't remember a time she felt more embarrassed. There she was, standing in front of Sidney in nothing more than his tee-shirt and boxers, full knowledge of what she had confessed to him the night before.

"Nice shorts," Sid said, tugging at the bottom of his boxers. "I hope you don't mind, they are clean, I swear. I thought about giving you a pair of my pajama pants or shorts, but I don't think they would have fit." Sidney grinned.

"You look like you are feeling better," Sidney said, setting his fishing pole on the dock.

"I am, thanks," Dylan said sheepishly. "Sid, I'm sorry for...earlier."

"Stop," Sidney said, taking Dylan's shoulders in his hands, "the last time I was stung by a wasp, I cried like a baby."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Dylan said, sounding mostly condescending.

"Well, I was four. How are the stings?" Sidney brushed the hair from Dylan's eye wanting to see her welt.

"Much better, thank you," Dylan whispered as Sidney's fingers fell through her hair.

"I like it when your hair curls like this, it looks cute," Sidney flirted, managing a step back.

"I didn't see a hair dryer after I showered," Dylan blushed, wishing she had "fixed" herself before seeing him again.

"Did you find the plate of food?" Sidney said, breaking the silence. "I found your leftovers when I installed your air conditioning."

"You put it in the window?" Dylan asked, surprised.

"Yeah, of course I did, only...it doesn't work," Sidney said, justifying his response because the ac really didn't work, only, it was because of him. "What's wrong with your central air?"

"I don't know, it keeps breaking. I just had it fixed a few weeks ago," Dylan said exasperated by the thought of paying for a repair man once again.

"It's really hot in your house, what did you do the last time it broke?" Sidney said, knowing full well where he was going with this.

"Um, well, I slept on my back porch, on the lounge chair," Dylan said, embarrassed by her confession.

"Seriously! What if someone saw you and tried to hurt you?" Sidney said, trying not to lose his temper, not towards Dylan, but at the thought of some creep watching her sleep unguarded, unprotected.

"I locked the screen door," Dylan protested. "And this is Grand Lake. Nothing remotely dangerous happens here."

"You need to stop doing this," Sidney said, feeling his red shifting towards Dylan.

"Doing what?" Dylan snapped back. "I'm not a child anymore, I can take care of myself."

"You sure have a funny way of showing it!" Sidney stated.

"So that's it, that's how you see me, as that little girl who followed you around who can't take care of herself?" Dylan said, slightly yelling. "I'm sorry I was such a burden to you, and I guess I'm up way past my bedtime." Dylan was barely able to turn away from Sid's icy stare before his hand caught her arm. "I'm not a child Sid, let me go."

"I know your not," Sidney muttered, trying his best to calm himself. "It's just, you do these things."

"What things?" Dylan said, pulling her arms from Sid's grasp.

"You take these chances, constantly. You walk around the lake at night by yourself, you sleep outside by yourself. You come home drunk from a bar by yourself. You don't know what's out there," Sidney said, staring into Dylan's eyes. "And the thought of anything happening to you is, unbearable." Sidney's voice melted into a soft whisper, for he knew far too well of the evils that roam the earth that Dylan lived in. Evils that he would destroy if they ever touched her.

"I wasn't alone...at the bar. I was with Lauren," Dylan said, her voice breaking.

"Please, stay at my house, until your air conditioning is fixed. I have a spare bedroom," Sidney said. "It would make me feel better."

"And if I say no?" Dylan said stubbornly.

"Then I guess there will be two very uncomfortable people sleeping on your porch together," Sidney said, calling her bluff.

"You're impossible Sidney Crosby!" Dylan said as the fishing pole began to rattle between the grasp of the pole stand, bowing towards the pull of its line.

"Just say yes so I can catch this fish," Sidney said, flashing Dylan his most angelic smile.

"Fine," Dylan said wavering to his charm, "under one condition."

"More extortion?" Sidney accused.

"Yes," Dylan said with her best poker face. "I want to catch the fish."

"Be my guest," Sidney said, bowing towards the extended pole.

Sidney watched Dylan struggle with the line, pulling in all the wrong ways. "Can I help you with that?"

"I don't need help with everything, _Sid_," Dylan said, pulling harder on the line as her quest to prove her independence boiled over.

"Oh yeah, I forgot, you're wearing your big girl pants tonight," Sidney taunted, distracting Dylan by tugging at the waist band.

"Well they are your shorts, what are you implying about yourself?" Dylan said, playfully swatting Sidney's hand away, almost loosing her grip on the pole and her balance. A strong-arm slid around her waist, pulling Dylan into Sidney's body.

"You're easily distracted," Sidney said with his lips close to Dylan's ear.

"You can be easily distracting," Dylan breathed as she leaned into his body, letting his arms wrap around her.

"You're fighting with the fish," Sidney said, not allowing his body any distance from hers. "Let yourself feel the pull." His hands slid over Dylan's, controlling their fight like a marionette, and Dylan didn't resist. Sidney could see the pulse quicken in her neck, causing the nubs in his mouth to tingle, but he didn't care. His cool breath skipped from Dylan's neck like the winter, causing a chill to run down her loins. Her stance became weak and Sidney felt it. He held her still, in his arms, neither wanting to move, until the line finally broke. The constant splashing from the water stopped as well as the night. Time stood still for that moment. Sidney's face drew closer to Dylan's as she turned her mouth towards his, wanting nothing more than to feel his billowy lips become flush with hers.

"Well it's this cute," a voice said from out of the darkness.

***Author's note-Please excuse the delay to my story. Despite my track record (for never finishing Hold Me Close Tiny Dancer, Because Benny Loves Your Jets), I haven't given up on Crosbula. My computer crashed and I am left without one. I have to use the computer where I work to type and post my chapters until I can get a new computer.


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